Help!

Rebecca.

Member
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi,

I have been type 1 for 2 years now up until about 6 months ago I wasn't doing to bad but have kind of let things slip and am rapidly going downhill. In need of a kick up the bum and abit of help. It's abit long winded but here is basically what's gone on this week...

Sunday- 10am - 14.6 I injected 4 as a correction and 17 background
1.30pm - 10.2 had 30g carbs 3 units, 2 correction
6pm - 4.9
9pm - 7.9
10pm - 16 units background
2am - 2.9 had 10g carbs

Monday - 10am 19.6, 7 correction 17 background
12pm - 12.0, 3 correction, 20g carbs 2 units
6pm - 11.2 - 3 correction
10pm - 7.3 - 16 background

Tuesday - 10am 17.0, 6 correction 17 background
1.30pm - 16.8, 7 correction 30g carbs 3 units
6pm - 17.6 - 8 correction
10pm - 16.4 - 16 background, 5 correction

Today - 10am 13.2, 17 background, 4 correction, 2 units 20g carbs
12pm - 16.9, 5 correction
4pm - 3.4, 10g carbs
7pm - 12.4, 3 correction, 40g carbs 4 units
10pm - 16 background

Again I apologise for the long post but would appreciate any advice. I'm using humalog and humalin i ☺️
 

Adele99

Well-Known Member
Messages
143
There are some very knowledgeable insulin posters on here who will hopefully advise if they can, but would contact the diabetic nurse or team who look after your care for help.

One thing I do see is you seem to be in a process of catch up with corrections, and are also taking fast acting within 2hours of having last taken it, causing low blood sugars, so you probably need to start from scratch, work out how much background you need first, then how much fast acting you need per gramme of carb eaten.

I'm also very confused at the amount of carbs etc, and how often you eat in a day, unless some meals you don't eat carbs at some meals?

Hopefully someone wiser than I am can advise better. Good luck .
 
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Shell1

Well-Known Member
Messages
388
Type of diabetes
Parent
Treatment type
Pump
Are u injecting into lumpy/overused sites? just had similar results with my daughter although she on pump moved her cannula onto a site never used and she went down to fantastic results from extreme highs,she was hardly getting any insulin we was injecting because the site had been over used .i couldn't feel the lumps really myself the consultant told me .
 

Rebecca.

Member
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Thanks for your replies, I'm sat in the diabetes clinic waiting room as we speak so hopefully will get some answers and advice.

I do way regular meals 3 times a day but sometimes when I am really high I will have a carb less meal.

And I understand about insulin absorption I have a few times noticed it's been hard injecting and have injected in to a lump so I do my best to change the injection sight about :)
 

Juicyj

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
9,018
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
Hey Rebecca,

How did you get on yesterday ?

As Adele said earlier, it looks like your correction dose cause your hypo on 'todays' reading as you only took it within 2 hours of your last injection. I've looked up Humalog in my DAFNE handbook and it takes up to 4 hours for this quick acting insulin to work it's way out of your system so you are loading up on QA which isn't safe. Ideally you should only correct 4 hours afterwards or before meal times so you take your dose for your food and then your correction at the same time - try to avoid the temptation of correcting because it looks high - after eating your readings will be high for up to 3-4 hours, so don't get too worried, I was doing this also and over-correcting so got in a right muddle, also got fixated with numbers !

How are you getting on with carb counting and do you think you are taking the right level of QA ?

If you haven't done DAFNE already please contact your team and ask for this, it will give you the guidance and information to get tooled up.

I would also try to do a fast one day to see what your levels are doing on your background insulin as this may need some adjusting, you can still eat but go carb free and try a salad with ham or egg and just monitor your readings - can you do this ?

It's all trial and error and you will get better at it, just new NHS advice is to avoid the hypos if you can (nightmare I know !) and PM me if I can help at all.

;)
 
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Rebecca.

Member
Messages
11
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi juicyj,

Thanks for your reply, I am getting put on to the dafne course ASAP so hopefully that will help me to sort my ratios out I am also seeing a dietician next week :)

However, I have had ketones in my urine today and yesterday of 0.8 managed to get rid of them by 11pm last night but had them again this morning and can't seem to get rid. My bloods have been 10, 8, 12 and 4 hours ago was 18 I injected 7 to correct this and now my blood is still 17?
 

fractureman

Well-Known Member
Messages
125
You are over correcting on Humlog (Lispro) during summer months the body needs less quick acting. It peaks after 2 hours & takes 4-5 hours before out of your system.

You need to get your long acting sorted first.

Are you on lantus or levimier ?

Greg
 
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fractureman

Well-Known Member
Messages
125
Hi Rebecca

Humalin I is an Old Old insulin was replaced by 24 hour acting insulin (Lantus or Levimere) some years ago.

Humalin I has a curved peak so the over lap between doses can cause issues.

This is maybe the problem you are having.

The newer Lantus etc is a 24 hour acting at a constant rate. It is used to keep background levels constant then use Lispro at meal times.

It's called DAFNE on here but I call it the way forward.

Control is better achieved. It does take 4/5 lessons (groups) & lots of re education. Carb counting etc. As once the Basal (lantus ) is set right. The ratio (carbs eaten to units of Lispro 'quick acting') can then be worked out.

Lantus is generally given to males or women not wishing to convince children. Levemire is the long acting given to women of child bearing age as lantus can't be used ;)

Hope this helps ;)
 

fractureman

Well-Known Member
Messages
125
Your ratio is 1 as for every 10g of carb you inject 1 unit.

As said earlier you are correcting too much. We all do things not great at times don't worry about it.

You'll get poor hba1c from hypos as the bounce back 'liver dumping sugar' causes the yo-yo effect.

The course will first try to establish when the hypo happens & cut them out. Once you've got them sorted calculating humalog becomes easier.

Also for any reading below 4.0 you need 20g of quick acting sugar (fruit juice in kids lunch box size) orange apple or pineapple provides this.

It's still as well so easy to drink & carry. As opposed to fat coke.

You need to back any hypo up with complex carbs (sandwich or pasta ) as the sugar hit bring mind back normal but the cause of the lowering sugar level may still be there so the snack will prevent a repeat hypo.

Don't worry about it too much we're all here to help ;)
 
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debbiiee

Well-Known Member
Messages
287
Hi Rebecca

Humalin I is an Old Old insulin was replaced by 24 hour acting insulin (Lantus or Levimere) some years ago.

Humalin I has a curved peak so the over lap between doses can cause issues.

This is maybe the problem you are having.

The newer Lantus etc is a 24 hour acting at a constant rate. It is used to keep background levels constant then use Lispro at meal times.

It's called DAFNE on here but I call it the way forward.

Control is better achieved. It does take 4/5 lessons (groups) & lots of re education. Carb counting etc. As once the Basal (lantus ) is set right. The ratio (carbs eaten to units of Lispro 'quick acting') can then be worked out.

Lantus is generally given to males or women not wishing to convince children. Levemire is the long acting given to women of child bearing age as lantus can't be used ;)

Hope this helps ;)
I am hearing this for the very first time. Why lantus should not be used??? Can you provide me the link?? Does lantus cause sterility??

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 

Heathenlass

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,631
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I am hearing this for the very first time. Why lantus should not be used??? Can you provide me the link?? Does lantus cause sterility??

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Ignore that, the information given is incorrect. There are many, many women of childbearing age on Lantus.
Source: Me. And others on the forum.

However, it's use in pregnancy is sometimes questionable : http://iddt.org/about/pregnancy/insulin-analogues-and-pregnancy but I believe the jury is out on that one .

Signy
 
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